Local Love

Laurie Louis, owner of Laurie Louis Designs a custom paper and goods company located in Indian Land, South Carolina, is a stationery designer who leans on Southern style to create universal designs for every taste. Laurie started her design business and after a long career at ESPN and has made it her full-time job. While her initial work was for the wedding industry, her business has grown to a lifestyle brand and includes nautical, beach and classic themes.

While her initial work was for the wedding industry, her business has grown to a lifestyle brand and includes nautical, beach and classic themes. Laurie’s website sells a combination of paper goods and custom gifts online and Laurie Louis Designs will be branching out into specialty boutiques in 2018.

Growing up, when Laurie’s mom and her friends hosted an event, they made sure that everything matched from the invitations to the table cloths and napkins. Today, she’s carrying on that tradition and helping others create magical events starting with custom stationary to match their theme from beginning to end. I recently attended an intimate dinner party Laurie hosted to showcase her work and discuss her design style. This dinner party was no exception to her entertaining rule — red tablecloths, blue lanterns to light our meals accented with beautiful yellow sunflowers and catering from local company H&M.

Each design is carefully thought out, with Laurie handling all of the design work and the majority of her printing. If there are items she can’t personally produce out of her design studio, she uses a trusted small printing business in Alabama to handle her client orders, knowing they have the same expectations regarding quality and customer satisfaction.

I asked Laurie if she worked with thermal and letterpress stationery and she told me she’d love to branch out in the future, but she has to test and work with everything until it meets her high standards for craftsmanship.

As my son heads into his senior year of high school, I’m already in the planning stages for his graduation party. I’ll be planning on designing custom invitations and gifts with Laurie to fete him before he flies the nest for college.

Disclosure: I attended an event for Laurie Louis Designs and was given a small gift as a dinner guest.

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Local Charlotte coffee roaster, Pure Intentions Coffee, has released a limited edition rum barrel-aged cold brew for the summer. I’m a coffee purist who has never been into col-brew coffee, but have been working to develop an appreciation for the unique nuances and flavors the cold brew coffee method brings to my palate. This rum barrel-aged brew was crafted with PIC’s Organic Guatemala Acatenango dark roast processed and aged in a rum barrel from Belmont-based Muddy Rivery Distillery.

Coffee beans are very sensitive and will quickly pick up the flavors of that they’re stored or transported in. If you transport and store green coffee beans in burlap for an extended period of time, it will pick up the flavor of burlap. If they’re exposed diesel fumes, they will pick up up and present the flavors of the diesel. (Appetizing, I know.)

Roasters will use a method called “barrel-conditioning” which harkens back to the days when coffee beans were transported in whatever barrels the exporters had on hand. This gave the green coffee beans different nuances of flavor based on the type of barrel they were packed in. These brews are supercharged with flavors that are as complex as the most complicated wines.

Pure Intentions Owner Matt Yarmey took this idea of barrel-conditioning a step further. Instead of using green coffee beans in Muddy River Distillery barrels, he started with beans that had been roasted and cold-brewed. The 6-month planning process for the brew concluded with a 2 month, 10 day aging process, managed by Free Range Brewing in Charlotte’s NoDa district. The final product offers flavors of oak, molasses and vanilla, without a measurable amount of alcohol content.

“Innovation is at the cornerstone of our business. This is a new experiment; most aged cold brews are aged as green beans then brewed. We’ve aged our cold brew as a liquid to see what variations occur. I enjoy testing the unpredictable.”

Where To Find Pure Intentions Cold Brew

Look for the new cold brew on tap at Free Range Brewing, Bottled and Tapped (Cornelius), and other Pure Intentions draft locations; the coffee will also be used in cocktail creations at Soul Gastrolounge (Plaza Midwood).

Free Range Brewing, NoDa

Bottled and Tapped, Cornelius

Hattie’s, Plaza Midwood

Fonta Flora, Morganton NC

Sycamore Brewing, South End

About Pure Intentions Coffee

At Pure Intentions Coffee, we hold every step of the process to high standards: sourcing quality- grown beans from environmentally-conscious suppliers, perfectly roasting each batch and providing a full range of additional services to help you deliver amazing coffee service to your customers. At Pure Intentions we believe you should fill your cup with character.

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Housing is a basic human right, yet many in Charlotte metro area don’t have access to adequate, affordable housing. The numbers speak for themselves. In the Charlotte region alone, 1 out of 5** children that live within 8 miles of Uptown Charlotte are homeless. I can’t believe I just typed those numbers — 1 out of 5.

Graphic from Urban Ministry — Charlotte, NC

Chronic homelessness is a problem in the United States as well. As a country, we have made progress in the national effort to end homelessness with a nationwide decrease of 22%. Yet on any given night in January 2015, an estimated 83,170 individuals were living on the streets, chronically homeless. (https://www.usich.gov/goals/chronic)

Graphic from Urban Ministry — Charlotte, NC

Closer to home, we’re trying do something to help alleviate the problem of homelessness and help with housing those who are in need. HousingFest is music festival dedicated to ending homelessness in Charlotte. Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Josh Ritter will headline the May 28, 2016 concert at The Fillmore in NC Music Factory. Guided by the Housing First principle that recognizes housing as a basic human right, HousingFest began with the idea that music can unite the community to end homelessness. Proceeds from the event will support permanent apartments with supportive services for those experiencing chronic homelessness.

HousingFest is presented by the Urban Ministry Center (UMC), in collaboration with Live Nation and Maxx Music. The concert features Ritter, named one of the “100 Greatest Living Songwriters” by Paste Magazine, and Lindi Ortega, whom American Songwriter calls “the love child of Johnny Cash and Nancy Sinatra.”

Matrimony, the Charlotte-based band that Rolling Stone compared to “Mumford and Sons if they were weaned on middle-period Fleetwood Mac” will be making a rare appearance for HousingFest. North Carolina-bred, New-Orleans based Nikki Hill and her band will bring their roaring boogie, equal parts Staple Singers and AC/DC, to the show.

Jim Lauderdale is a two-time Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter. He’s collaborated with music royalty: Ralph Stanley, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, and Willie Nelson among many others. Justin Fedor, founding member of The New Familiars and Ancient Cities, will be part of the line-up as well bringing his distinctive blend of Americana rock-and-roll.

Graphic from Urban Ministry — Charlotte, NC

Buy Tickets to HousingFest 2016:

The festival’s $39 ticket price is equivalent to one night of housing with support services in UMC’s HousingWorks program.

Tickets are on sale now at LiveNation.com.

About

The inaugural HousingFest in 2014 featured Grammy Award-winning performers The Blind Boys of Alabama and Jim Lauderdale. Held at Charlotte’s Neighborhood Theatre, HousingFest 2014 was a sold-out event, with over 800 people in attendance. Partnering with 14 sponsors to launch HousingFest, UMC raised over $25,000 to house our community’s most vulnerable homeless men and women.

For more information about HousingFest, including sponsorship opportunities, and success stories of people housed with the Housing First strategy, please visit HousingFest.org, a new website created by Luquire George Andrews. For more information aboutUrban Ministry Center, its mission and programs to end homelessness, please visit UrbanMinistryCenter.org.

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I have been looking in the mirror more often as of late. What is normally an act of personal growth and inner connection has become one of “who is that woman in the mirror?” My own vanity has been kicking my rear, and for once, I’m okay with it. I’ll never look like I’m 20 again, but I can do things that will help me slow down time on her eternal march across my face.

My name is Lisa and I’m a mid-life woman who has a notebook filled with things I can do for my skin and face. These include cosmetics that “blur,” fill in the wrinkles and help give my skin, and albeit temporary, dewy look and procedures done in my dermatologist’s office.

The aging process has also resulted in things “shifting” on my face. I’ve always had a full face and extra weight has given me the dreaded “double chin.” A recent consumer survey revealed that 68% of consumers are bothered by fullness under the chin. To that I say, well, yes. Known as submental fullness, the appearance of double chins or neck fat is a condition that can negatively impact the overall appearance of the face and can result in a person feeling older and heavier.

My friends over at Dermatology, Laser & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas heard about my mirror time and invited me to their open house and seminar to introduce me to Kybella™, the first and only approved non-surgical, injectable treatment developed to address this common complaint. Kybella™ reduces moderate to severe double chins and neck fat with no surgery no downtime and no sedation required. Now, I have yet to undertake any injectables or fillers in my face, but I do have serious curiosity about what they can do for me.

So I’m heading over tomorrow night to check out Kybella™ and see if it’s a good fit for me in the future. I’ll add the things I learn to my handy dandy notebook and continue to learn more about the process. I’m sure that it’s going to be a popular option for both men and women who are fighting the middle-aged spread and want to avoid invasive procedures.

WHEN:

Tuesday, July 28,

Dermatology Laser & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas

1918 Randolph Road, Suite 550

5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

SCHEDULE:

Dermatology, Laser & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas Open House Schedule Includes:

6:00 p.m. Dr. Munavalli will be holding a “What’s Next for the Neck” seminar

Learn about other new and alternative treatment options

6:30 p.m. Dr. Munavalli will be performing live demonstrations of the Kybella™ treatment

WHO:

Dr. Gilly Munavalli is the only Charlotte physician to serve as a principal investigator in the clinical trials for the development of Kybella™, making him one of the most experienced Kybella™ injectors in the nation and DLVSC one of the first practices to offer this groundbreaking treatment.

“In my dermatology practice, I see many patients who have undesirable fullness under the chin, even though they may have an otherwise balanced and harmonious facial appearance and be in great physical shape,” he said.

HOW:

Kybella™ is administered by injections into the fat under the chin, tailored to the treatment goals of the patient and the physician. Each in-office treatment session is typically only 15-20 minutes and many patients experience visible results in two to four treatments for long-lasting effects.

PLASTIC SURGERY FACTS:

Minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures increased 3 percent, to more than 13.4 million procedures in 2013, according to The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

“The demand for plastic surgery remains strong,” said ASPS President Robert X. Murphy, MD. “Facial rejuvenation procedures were especially robust last year, with more Americans opting for facelifts, forehead lifts, eyelid surgery, fillers and peels. With new devices and products hitting the market each year, there are more options and choices available to consumers wanting to refresh their look or a little nip and tuck,” he adds.

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT:

For more information or to make an appointment, clients should call 704.375.6766 or visit http://www.carolinaskin.com RSVPs are encouraged and both women and men are welcome to attend and schedule a free consultation.

About Dermatology, Laser & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas:

Dermatology, Laser & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas was Charlotte’s first Mohs Surgery Center when it opened in 1990 and remains the busiest Mohs Surgery practice in the area. Now with their team of board-certified physicians, DLVS offers additional services, including face lifting surgery, blepharoplasty (eye lifts), laser hair removal, laser skin resurfacing, endovenous laser ablation, sclerotherapy, tattoo removal, laser resurfacing and many fillers. There is also a medical aesthetician on staff who performs skin care and facial treatments, and several lines of skin care products are available for sale. The practice also offers the most advanced treatment options available for general dermatology, skin cancer, varicose veins, laser surgery and cosmetic surgery. Physicians are in the office every day and personally perform or directly supervise all procedures done in the office. For more information visit: http://www.carolinaskin.com or call 704-375-6766.

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I’m a curious consumer who is considering future options for the sake of my own vanity.

Just in time for the holiday season, the Carolina Voices MainStage Choir will be presenting the 60th anniversary of The Singing Christmas Tree. One of Charlotte’s grandest holiday traditions, led by Artistic Director Peter Leo, The Singing Christmas Tree will offer a glittering performance of music, song, dance, puppetry, and comedy. NPR’s Mike Collins, will join the cast as emcee this year, taking the audience on a rousing trip through past and present traditions while celebrating the joy of Christmas in the Carolinas.

Making the rounds again are some of the audience’s favorite special guests, including The Grey Seal Puppets, Eddie Mabry Dancers, Caroline Keller and more. Guaranteed to lift your holiday spirits – this concert is one to share with family and friends!

This years theme is “traditions.” Audiences can expect to be taken on a rousing trip through past and present holiday customs that reflect the joy of Christmas in the Carolinas. Attendees can look forward to listening to their favorite Christmas carols, such as Joy to the World, Carol of the Bells, Little Drummer Boy, and The First Noel; as well as popular holiday tunes, such as We Ned A Little Christmas, All I Want for Christmas Is You and more. Silent Night will be the closing song, continuing a beloved 60 year tradition.

About The Singing Christmas Tree:

The Singing Christmas Tree was first produced in 1954 by Charlote Choral Society (later renamed Carolina Voices) on the steps of the Harry and Bryant funeral home on Providence Road. With Alice Berman directing, the singers sang outdoors on the steps of the building lined up in the shape of a Christmas tree. The performance was so popular, that the organization moved the production inside to Ovens Auditorium in 1995 and purchased a tree structure for the singers. Today, the 32’ twinkling tree structure holds 90+ volunteer singers of Carolina Voices’ MainStage Choir.

The original metal tree was replaced in 2004 with a more flexible and sturdier version for singers to stand on. Volunteer members from Carolina Voices put up the tree each year, attaching its branches and lights before the performances. Tom Griesmer, a long-time singer, has been overseeing the tree’s construction for more than 30 years.

The 60th Annual Singing Christmas Tree will be held December 13 and December 14. Check the box office for available times and tickets.

The Singing Christmas Tree for KIDS

Saturday, December 13 at 11am and 3pm at Ovens Auditorium

MainStage Choir
Peter Leo, Artistic Director

Starring The Grey Seal Puppets
Grab a seat on the Polar Express as we get into the spirit of the season at this family-friendly show that includes rousing sing-a-longs, favorite kids holiday tunes, magical puppets, amazing dancers and, of course, a visit from Santa Claus. At just one hour in length, the show is perfect for children age 3 to 10 and offers parents a wonderful way to introduce young children to the arts!

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Meet Lisa

Lisa Frame is an over-achieving Southern gal with a knack for Pinterest and making people laugh. She writes about life, food, culture and travel. Lisa is a very amateur photographer, voracious reader, wanna-be neat freak, and closeted crafter.